3D platformers have been a staple of the video game franchise ever since 3D gaming was invented. The genre of platformers is practically as old as video gaming itself, although the 3D format of them wasn't popularized until the 1990s with titles like Super Mario 64, Crash Bandicoot, and Banjo-Kazooie on the first consoles with 3D graphics.
Nowadays, 3D platformers are more uncommon than one might think, with few new franchises able to pierce mainstream publicity. Although many gamers may think they've grown out of the genre, there are plenty of 3D platforming games that prove it can be just as dark and nuanced as any other video game genre, such as these titles.
6 Conker's Bad Fur Day
One of the more well-known dark 3D platformers is Conker's Bad Fur Day, created by the same company behind Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64. The game centers on Conker, a drunken, foul-mouthed squirrel trying to make his way home from a night spent at a bar. His path home to his girlfriend Berri is filled with M-rated escapades and evil creatures.
Notably, the game's ending is quite dark and nihilistic, finding Conker crowned the king of the Panther King's land, despite his girlfriend having been killed. It's a grim image for this 3D platformer, which may appear to be suitable for children, but is definitely not. For those not convinved, just look up Conker's boss battle against the Great Mighty Poo.
5 Psychonauts
Psychonauts is considered one of the greatest 3D platformers of all time. The 2005 title centers on Raz, who runs away from his circus family to join a secret agency of telekinetic heroes known as Psychonauts. Already, the idea of the game centering on a runaway child makes for a pretty dark setting for this 3D platforming adventure.
It gets even darker when Lili, another Psychonaut he falls in love with, is sent to an insane asylum, forcing Raz to break her out. The long-awaited sequel, Psychonauts 2, which was released in 2021, features even more disturbing content, such as characters with multiple personality disorder and one who has lost his five senses due to losing control of his body.
4 Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)
The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is typically very kid-friendly, though for a period of time its mainline entries ventured into dark and gritty territory. This includes the infamous Sonic the Hedgehog from 2006, known by gamers as "Sonic '06," which centers on Sonic being blamed by time-traveling hedgehog Silver for causing the future apocalypse.
As it turns out, the apocalypse was actually caused by Mephiles, an evil spirit accidentally released by Shadow and Rouge. In one climactic moment of the game, Mephiles kills Sonic as part of his plan to consume time. However, Sonic is later revived by Princess Elise, his human love interest, with a kiss, which is quite the troubling plot point.
3 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
In 2017, Activision remastered the first three entries in the Crash Bandicoot series, originally developed by Naughty Dog in the late 1990s. The remastered trilogy feature what many fans consider to be some of the best Crash Bandicoot titles, though fans of the franchise will know it trends on the darker and more edgy side than many other 3D platformers from that era.
For instance, every time Crash Bandicoot dies, a somewhat gruesome (for a kids' game, at least) animation plays out, such as him being electrocuted, impaled, or burned alive. The death animations are practically a staple of the franchise, and the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy faithfully recaptures some of the more unpleasant ways to go from the trilogy.
2 The Simpsons Game
It's unsurprising that The Simpsons Game is incredibly dark, given that the show itself created by Matt Groening is just as filled with adult humor. Nevertheless, few film or TV video game adaptations are as faithful to their source material as The Simpsons Game, which comes complete with animated sequences that appear straight from the show itself.
The game features many pop culture references to King Kong, Super Mario Bros, and Grand Theft Auto. Additionally, the game's story focuses on darker topics like deforestation, violent video games, and working conditions. The game even ends with the Simpson family appealing to God after beating him in a game of Dance Dance Revolution.
1 Super Mario Sunshine
The Mario franchise is the furthest thing from having dark themes, especially for a title like Super Mario Sunshine with its colorful and summer-y aesthetic. But don't be fooled, this game has some of the darkest and most realistic moments in the whole franchise. Particularly, the entire game starts with Mario being arrested for vandalizing Isle Delfino.
Although Mario turns out to be framed by Bowser Jr. Masquerading as his shadow counterpart, Mario is still required to fulfill community service by cleaning up the island. Furthermore, the game's ending is quite tragic when Mario's nozzle companion F.L.U.D.D. Appears to be destroyed after defeating Bowser in an active volcano.